Ash ExantusChief Financial Educator, Ash Cash Enterprises · Financial Empowerment Leader | Public Affairs Strategist | Media Executive | Advocate for Economic Equity & Financial Literacy | Champion for Formerly Incarcerated Communities

The unexpected downfall of fame and fortune

1 Oct 2023 · 1 min

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0:45

In this candid monologue, the speaker reflects on a period of flashy excess driven by a desire to keep up with drug dealers and club culture. He describes ostentatious symbols of status—a gold Dodge Intrepid with rims and tinted windows, frequent club outings, and lavish spending—while believing that fame automatically translates into wealth. The narrative reveals his background as a conventional 9‑to‑5 worker who never pursued entrepreneurship, highlighting the mistaken equation of fame with financial security and hinting at an eventual decision to quit the unsustainable lifestyle.

Chapters

I was making a lot of money, but I was still flashy, right? I was still, uh, trying to— I mean, I'll be honest, I was trying to keep up with the drug dealers. So I was, I was still hanging out with the guys, you know what I'm saying? We was going to the clubs, you know what I'm saying? I remember my first car was a, uh, a Dodge Intrepid, right? I had the gold Dodge Intrepid with the, with the, uh— if you know, you know. I had the gold Dodge Intrepid with the rims, uh, you know what I'm saying? I had the rims, I had the tints, I was killing it, right? Right. Always fresh, going to the club, Mars 2112, all everything, you know what I'm saying? Let's go. And so I was spending a lot of money. And so when I decided to quit, I really thought that fame equals money though, right? Because I was never an entrepreneur. I was a 9-to-5 guy.